Nigeria: NEMA warns locals in River State about imminent flooding

"There are local government areas and communities in Rivers State that are around the coastal areas. Recall that Rivers Niger and Benue empty their waters down here in the Niger Delta; Bayelsa and Rivers state and every year there are local governments and communities that are impacted. Our concern is that residents should begin to take proactive measures by clearing their drains and the local government councils should begin to identify high grounds where they can relocate their citizens in the event that the flood impact these local government areas."

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Nigeria, on Saturday warned about imminent flooding in several local government areas of Rivers State in Niger Delta during the rainy season, according to a report by Daily Post.

Godwin Tepikor, the South-South Cordinator of NEMA, warned about flood during a meet in Port Harcourt, he further explained that Benue and Rivers Niger often vacant their water in Niger Delta region due to overflow in the rainy season. 

He, therefore, called on local authorities to identify high places to relocate people in case of emergency. He said the local government areas including Akuku Toru, Andoni, Okirika, Asari Tori, Ogba Egbema Ndoni, Ahoada East and West, and Abua Odual might be impacted.

As per the NEMA boss, "there are local government areas and communities in Rivers State that are around the coastal areas. Recall that Rivers Niger and Benue empty their waters down here in the Niger Delta; Bayelsa and Rivers state and every year there are local governments and communities that are impacted. Our concern is that residents should begin to take proactive measures by clearing their drains and the local government councils should begin to identify high grounds where they can relocate their citizens in the event that the flood impact these local government areas".

He urged the residents to maintain hygiene as he said, “residents also should not throw garbages into the drains, they should begin to clear the drains so that in the event that the flooding happens, the impact will be highly mitigated. We must be as serious as if nothing was done. On our part as National Emergency Management Agency, we will soon begin our sensitization and awareness creation to the states under our jurisdiction”.

He further asked all stakeholders to join hands in seeing the seriousness of the flood adding that everyone should be prepared for the condition.